Award-winning children’s author
As an Australian best-selling children’s author – I write stories for children to share with their grown-ups.
My award-winning children’s picture books and short stories connect with many.
I’m the CBCA 2022 Winner of Children’s Book of the Year – Early Childhood, the winner of the 2023 Aust Speech Pathology Book of the Year 5-8 yo’s for Jetty Jumping.
And I wrote the Notabled 2024 Picture Book of the Year – Early Childhood for In the Rockpool. which is the hero face of Australian Picture Books for the 2024 Bologna Children’s Book Fair.
In 2024 I have been awarded the May Gibbs Literature Trust fellowship for Creative Time. More writing ahead!
I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Media, and Post-Graduate in Crisis Communications, which means I am very good at sniffing out stories and am quite calm during re-writes!
My notebooks are overflowing with new characters, and exciting settings and smudged with story-fuelling Cherry Ripes.
Summer is my favourite state of being, beaches are my happy place and books are my forever friends. I write from my house with towering book piles, tucked in amongst the sand dunes of Bunurong Country on the the Mornington Peninsula.
My love of words has joined forces with my love of children’s books.
I joyfully write children’s books and there are the robust makings of a YA novel currently taking shape too.
Jetty Jumping, illustrated by Hannah Sommerville, and published by Hardie Grant, was released in January 2021. It won the 2022 CBCA Children’s Picture Book of the year – Early Childhood. Thanks for loving it Australia!
Sunday Skating and In the Rockpool, were again illustrated by the most talented Hannah Sommerville and published by Hardie Grant.
In the Rockpool was awarded the 2024 CBCA Notable Picture book of the Year – Early Childhood.
We have several more on the way between 2024 – 2026!
I have appeared in several anthologies and collections, I’m the winner of the 2020 Hal Porter Short Story Award, 2023 Mulga Bill Writing Award and Highly Commended for 2024 Mulga Bill Writing Award
I write books for children, and books for grown-ups to love too. There’s a few other stories floating in the book-osphere waiting to land as well.
Taking it outside with Natured Kids
Sandy feet & saltwater grins for story time fun The best ever story time session was held this week under the shade of a jetty, with my feet in the sand as the weather teased us across Port Phillip Bay. Thanks, Natured Kids for letting me join your lovely...
Novel writing time at Writers in Residency
2022 is the year to finish my novel Which is a good thing. Because I've been given two weeks of focussed, uninterrupted writing time! I'm thrilled to have been awarded the Mornington Peninsula Shire Mornington Peninsula Arts & Culture 2022/23 Artist in Residence...
Front Beach, Back Beach: Shoreline Stories
Story sharing with young voices of the Peninsula I'm so thrilled to have received a Mornington Peninsula Shire Creative Community Grant to deliver Front Beach, Back Beach: Shoreline Stories in 2022. This will be an exciting youth focussed program supporting young...
Book fun with school online
Fast paced, fun and fabulous country Primary School online visit This month's Sacred Heart Primary School Yea virtual author visits for Grade Prep - 2's and 3-6’s was especially fun and fast-paced! This tiny school had big questions and the most thoughtful...
Old worlds, new worlds, other worlds explored for Book Week
Book Week brings us together, from a distance, online Children's Book Week for many children is a rite of passage - the selection of this year's ONE favourite book, the costume planning, the chance to talk about reading like it's an Olympics sport that you...
The secrets of a good story and author chats online
Book Chats are my jam Because I’m fascinated with the world of writers and the process of writing, I love to interview authors who are just as enamored with that world. I chat with authors visiting Antipodes Bookstore for Words After Dark ‘in conversation’ events,...
Jumping into Book Week
A very virtual Children's Book Week In spite of Lockdown restrictions, many of this year's Book Week engagements will happen online and I've got my on-camera delivery down pat. You should see my virtual story time studio I've cobbled together as well, with a...
Lockdown Lament and my favourite things
Lockdown lament 3 Lockdown's ago I managed to squeeze in a book launch of my children's picture book Jetty Jumping. Alas most of the bookstore visits were re-scheduled or cancelled, though my local Mornington Peninsula bookstores Antipodes Bookshop, Farrells Books and...
I spy Children’s Book Week
I spy CBCA Book Week 2021 CBCA Children's Book Week is the place to be and a state of mind when you love to read, write and breathe children's picture books! I have always firmly taken it by the hand as a picture book lover, mum costume maker and story-time...
Write, read, sign books, repeat
Write, read, sign books, repeat Well, hey there Summer, you sure did sizzle with oodles of author readings and signings. I'm now falling into Autumn with another reprint of Jetty Jumping hitting bookstores. Here's a glimpse of some of the fun we've had so far:...
I spy book shelfies
Sightings of my book in the wild There’s something awfully thrilling about being sent ‘shelfies’ of your book across the land. I'm having such fun playing Spotto with Jetty Jumping. It's quite the competitive sport! From the editor of Crinkling News (and fellow...
World Book Day reading
This is my kindergarten book reading grin I adored reading to the Tootgarook PreSchool kids. What a way to mark WORLD BOOK DAY this week. After I’d finished sharing Jetty Jumping, a gorgeous boy in the front row who’d followed every word with wide, wondrous eyes,...
Book launch joy
Book launch joy The pandemic and recent 3rd Victorian Lockdown took a load of moments from us, but not the joy of reading. And today, not the joy of gathering to welcome a book into the world. A Lockdown Liberty Book Launch has a mighty fine ring to it and in two...
Nomination for Citizen of the Year
I'm just happy connecting community I feel like I need to wheel out a small bugle player and pass the hors d’oeuvres around for this news: Today I received a Letter under Council Seal from Mornington Peninsula Shire Council, acknowledging that I was one of the many...
Book release day
It's book release day Hurrah! Huzzah! My debut children's picture book JETTY JUMPING has just launched into the world. It’s due to start bobbing about on bookshelves in stores across the land from today. Here’s to spying it in young readers hands and families reliving...
Hal Porter Short Story winner
Hal Porter Short Story Competition winner I am really very honoured to have been announced as the winner of the coveted Hal Porter Short Story Competition. To be awarded this recognition, which has been running for 28 years, is something that truly humbles me....
Victorian Writer published story
The Pandemic Playbook Member's and supporters of Writer's Victoria will be familiar with the seasonal writing magazine The Victorian Writer. ‘The Victorian Writer’ magazine is a valuable resource for Writers Victoria members and aspiring writers across Australia. as...
Peekaboo book cover reveal
What a gorgeous cover Picture book grins for my debut children’s book JETTY JUMPING with Little Hare, an imprint of Hardie Grant Books. I'm blessed to be in wonderful publishing hands to bring my story of Jetty Jumping to life. This book was a joy to write and I've...
Pandemic Writing
Writing through isolation There’s nothing like a pandemic to channel story voices and concepts. The writing flood gates have opened. I've spent 8 months blending copywriting projects with creative writing expressions and submitting them to competitions, collaborations...
Storytime online
Old school storytime online: I don’t know about you, but I’ve missed library time, and book reading to small ones. I have some special little folks that I often read to, just to enjoy exploring books with them, or peering around the aisles at bookstores and libraries...